8 Public Administration colleges in Maryland with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $62,445.
We started with Public Administration programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 8 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
At $82,860 in median earnings, University of Maryland-College Park tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining a 96th percentile mobility score. The range spans from $50,698 to $82,860, demonstrating that Maryland's mobility leaders compete on outcomes, not just access.
Morgan State University serves 54% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $50,698. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: St. Mary's College of Maryland combines 86th percentile mobility with just a 7.9% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $82,860 | Mobility: 96th percentile
54.4% Pell students with $50,698 earnings
7.9% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
23.1% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Good | $35,200 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $69,960 | $19,500 | Good | $26,987 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Towson UniversityPublic | $64,390 | $18,718 | Good | $28,489 | High | 95th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Salisbury UniversityPublic | $61,515 | $21,000 | Good | $33,815 | High | 84th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $60,110 | $21,000 | Excellent | $36,119 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $55,493 | $21,105 | High | $21,004 | High | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Bowie State UniversityPublic | $54,537 | $22,985 | Good | $23,158 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility |
| #8 | Morgan State UniversityPublic | $50,698 | $27,250 | Manageable | $22,000 | High | 91th percentile mobility |
Our social mobility rankings answer: "Which schools deliver the best outcomes for students from low-income backgrounds?"
This is not simply "which schools admit the most low-income students" — it's which schools both serve low-income students and deliver strong earnings outcomes.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
